Secret beaches in Europe and around the world

If you’re looking for your own secret piece of paradise, take a look at our recommendations for the best secluded beaches to visit in Europe and around the world. But you’d better hurry; they won’t stay secret for long…

Plage de Saleccia, Corsica, France

Plage de Saleccia is a kilometre-long sweep of soft sand with an impressive backdrop of high dunes. The beach is always pretty quiet, as to reach it you need to get a boat part of the way and walk the rest. The silky white sand of Plage de Loto is just a 40min walk east along the coast, but if you want to have these secluded beaches to yourself (once the day-trippers have gone), you can pitch a tent in the shade of the trees behind Saleccia’s dunes at Camping U Paradisu.

Yérakas beach, Greece

Yérakas is not your typical Greek beach. Loggerhead turtles come here to lay their eggs so it’s off-limits to tourists from dusk till dawn and deckchairs are banned. With resort facilities absent, tourism here is designed to complement the natural beauty of the surroundings and guests are encouraged to learn more about the delicate environment. Visitors can take catamaran trips to view the turtles or explore the countryside by jeep or on foot, with or without a guide. Both the island of Cephalonia and the site of Olympia are short ferry rides away.

Beaches in Riserva dello Zingaro, Italy

The Riserva dello Zingaro is in the northwest of Sicily, about an hour from Palermo. It’s a popular day-trip for city-dwellers but go mid-week or out of season and you’ll have the isolated beaches to yourself. Established to protect a 7km stretch of coastline, it’s the island’s first nature reserve and home to numerous flora and fauna. The only way in is on foot and it’s the perfect place for a walk on a pristine beach or, if you’re feeling more energetic, there are lots of inland mountain walks to be tackled.

Treasure Beach, Jamaica

Away from the packed resort of Montego Bay, in the southwest of Jamaica, Treasure Beach is a friendly, Bohemian place where you get a feel for the way of life of the local fishermen and farmers. It is in fact, four loosely connected bays, which are strung out along 10km of sublime secluded beaches, private coves and rocky shorelines. Though the area can get crowded in peak season, there are a lot of quiet spots where you can enjoy lounging on the beach or sampling the local food in a nearby beach café.

Thottada beach, India

On this secluded beach in northern Kerala, you’ll get a length of palm-fringed shoreline to yourself; bar a few fishermen hauling in their catch. Kannur Beach House, two minutes from the beach and next to a freshwater lagoon, is the place to stay: the comfortable rooms have wonderful views of the pristine sands. Plus, the friendly owners cook and dine with you and will take you on various trips – there’s even a boat you can borrow, but you’ll probably have to row that yourself.

Kooljaman beach, Western Australia

Run by the local Aboriginal communities, Koojaman offers a total escape into the Australian wilderness. Unzip your tent early in the morning and you can watch the sun rise over the endless white-sand beach and azure sea. Take a short walk from your tent across the sands at the point of Cape Leveque and you can watch the sun set on an equally breathtaking stretch of secluded beach. You’re so far from anything and anyone here that you’ll probably have both views to yourself.

Praslin Island, St Lucia

The tiny white-sand beach on Praslin Island is on the east coast of St Lucia and perfect for a swim before a picnic lunch. Your only company is likely to be the occasional bird and a few lizards on this secluded beach. The only access to the island is by boat, which takes about ten minutes from Praslin village. If you can stir yourself from the idyll, nearby is the Frigate Islands Nature Reserve and just north, the Eastern Nature Trail – where you can go on a guided tour of the rocky coast.